Early Booking Discount: $150.00 / Person 

If Booked before  12/15/2008

Tour code:CEAZ

TOUR ITINERARY:

Day 1USA to Beijing

We begin our China scenic vacation by boarding an international flight bound for Beijing. The jetliner flies over the Pacific and we spend the night aboard.

Day 2Arrive Beijing

Touch down at Beijing airport where we are met by our Ritz tour guide after clearing customs and baggage retrieval. Beijing is the capital of modern China and is home to over 13 million people. In recent years Beijing has undergone much change and was host city to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Check in to the hotel for some rest as our sightseeing tour will begin in earnest tomorrow.

Day 3Beijing

This morning for our city tour of Beijing, head first to the Forbidden City, the imperial palace grounds containing 800 buildings and some 8000 rooms. It was the home to the Ming and Qing emperors and is a truly spectacular way to start off our China adventure. Revel in the symbol of Chinese sovereignty and realize that during the reign of the emperors, commoners were not allowed on the grounds we're walking on. Our next stop is Tiananmen Square, located across the street, just south of the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square was built in 1651 and holds the record as being the world's largest public square. After lunch, we also take walk along LakeKunming at the emperor's SummerPalace. Later in the afternoon, our motor coach takes us back to the hotel to wash up before our evening activity - a sumptuous Peking Duck Feast!

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Peking Duck Dinner

Day 4Beijing

The sprawling Great Wall runs almost 4000 miles across China's north (long than even the Yangtze!) and is one of the world's seven great man-made wonders. It is the focal point of our tour to China. This defensive wall was built to protect citizens from the constant attacks from the Mongols, Turks, and other nomad tribes from the north. We walk atop a section of the Wall and appreciate its imposing wonder. After the Great Wall our destination is the Sacred Way and the MingTombMuseum. 13 Ming emperors are buried here. Return to our hotel later in the afternoon; dinner is served at the hotel this evening.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner at hotel

Day 5Beijing

There are no activities planned for today: enjoy a full day at leisure. Use the time to rest up at our luxury hotel or explore the city at our own pace. Or we can use the opportunity for an optional tour to the Hutongs. Several hundred years old, the Hutongs of Old Town Beijing are narrow alleyways formed by the walls of ¡°siheyuan,¡± the traditional courtyard style homes from Beijing's past. Sadly, many of these quaint siheyuans are being demolished and replaced with skyscrapers in Beijing's modernization. A pedicab will take us through Old Town Beijing, navigating through the narrow Hutongs to visit the siheyuan of a local family. Lunch is served by the host family.

Meals: American Breakfast

Day 6Beijing to Xi'an

After breakfast we are off to the airport to catch a short flight to Xian. On the way, stop at the Temple of Heaven to experience one of the world's best examples of religious architecture - this was where the emperors came to pray to the heavens for a plentiful harvest. The flight arrives at Xian, the ancient city that served as the launching point of the celebrated Silk Road and also as China's capital city prior to 1620. Xian's history encompasses the entirety of Chinese civilization, a fact that its proud citizens are not remiss to impress upon us. On the way from XianyangAirport into town, we drive by Xian's ancient City Wall, one of the last vestiges of imperial era. Tonight, dinner is served at our hotel.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner at hotel

Day 7Xi'an

This morning after breakfast we head away from the city to see The Terra Cotta Warriors. An army of 6,000 Terra-Cotta Soldiers standing in battle formation guard the tomb of the very first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Witness this incredible archeological discovery firsthand at each of the three excavation pits (more recently a 4th one has been opened). Back in Xian, finish up the day's tour with a visit to the City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Returning to our hotel, wash up before our evening festivities including a delicious Imperial Dumpling Banquet, followed by the world famous Tang Dynasty Stage Show.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dumpling Banquet

Day 8Xi'an to Guilin

Board a domestic flight that flies southwest to Guilin, a city of unrivalled natural beauty hailed as possessing some of China's most breathtaking vistas. Although not a large city (population of 670,000), it attracts thousands of visitors each month with its picturesque scenery. Karst limestone formations imbue Guilin's landscape with a mystical quality. We explore Elephant Trunk Hill and the ReedFluteCave where fantastic stalactite and stalagmite formations impress us as magical and otherworldly.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner at hotel

Day 9Guilin/Yangshuo/Guilin

A meandering river cruise down the Li River is a delightful way to savor the serene, fairy-tale scenery of Southern China as it passes by. We may even catch the fascinating sights of fishermen plying their trade with cormorant birds. Lunch is served aboard. Our riverboat arrives at the quaint town of Yangshuo, where we board the motor coach that will take us back to Guilin. In the evening, we attend a special performance of Minority Folklore Dance.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner at hotel

Day 10Guilin to Shanghai to Suzhou

We depart Guilin and head for Suzhou. Our flight will touch down in Shanghai where we are picked up and continue onwards to the picturesque canal town of Suzhou. With 2500 years of history, Suzhou is an ancient town interlaced by canals and has been aptly nicknamed the "Venice of the East."

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11Suzhou to Shanghai

Our sightseeing tour of Suzhou this morning takes us to the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Grand Canal, the main trade artery that connected northern China to the south back during the Yuan Dynasty. Enjoy a cruise of the Grand Canal. Suzhou has long been known as an important center of the silk trade ever since the Song Dynasty. A stop has also been scheduled at a Silk Factory where we see firsthand how the excellent Chinese silk is produced and have an opportunity to shop. Return to Shanghai by motor coach; dinner is served at the hotel.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner at hotel

Day 12Shanghai

Shanghai is a city unlike any other in China. It is the bustling, undisputed economic heartbeat of China that enjoys all of the comforts and amenities of a fully modern metropolis. Shanghai today looks to regain its former position of being one of the largest financial centers in the world, behind New York and London. It is a city that seamlessly blends East and West. Our city tour taks us to the Yu Garden, a famous example of traditional Ming horticulture. Continue on by bus to bustling Nanjing Road and The Bund, a mile-long stretch on the HuangpuRiver lined by turn-of-the-century European architecture. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure until we convene for dinner, then attend an exciting performance of Chinese Acrobatics.

Meals: American Breakfast

Day 13Shanghai

This morning, admission tickets have been provided for us to see the exhibits at ShanghaiMuseum, located at the very center of the city, People's Square. The afternoon is at leisure. We may choose either to stay at the museum for the duration of the day, continue on to Nanjing Road for some last minute souvenir shopping, or head back to the hotel. After the ShanghaiMuseum, the rest of the day is free for our leisure activities.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14Shanghai to USA

Our vacation is over all too soon! Transfer to the airport to board the homebound international flight, re-crossing the international date line to arrive back at home.

Meals: American Breakfast

Dates & Tour Costs (Per Person):

* Prices listed are for Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) departure

* Fuel surcharge and taxes apply and are additional

Tour Package Features:

-- All five star hotels for your comfort

Beijing ¨C MarriottCity Wall

Xi'an ¨C Sheraton Hotel

Guilin ¨C Lijiang Waterfall Hotel

Suzhou ¨C Renaissance Hotel

Shanghai ¨C Swissotel Grand Hotel

-- Full American or buffet breakfast daily in hotels

-- Lunches at local restaurants

-- Chinese or western dinners in hotels or at local restaurants

-- Local specialties for your delight

Beijing ¨C Peking Duck Banquet

Xi'an ¨C Imperial Dumpling Banquet

-- Special entertainment

Xi'an ¨C Tang Dynasty Stage Show

Yangshuo ¨C Special Effects Show

Guilin ¨C Li River Cruise, Minority Folklore Dance Show

Suzhou ¨C Grand Canal Cruise

Shanghai ¨C Chinese Acrobatic Show

-- Round trip international air ticket

-- China domestic air tickets

-- Comprehensive sightseeing program

-- Knowledgeable tour guide service throughout China

-- Travel Protection Insurance is provided at no additional charge if final payment is received 60 days prior to departure date

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